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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2020 | Volume 33, No. 45
TODAY’S WEATHER
Yup, still hot High 34 C, Low 16 C
WEST END MURDER
SMELLY SCIENCE
DOWN AND OUT?
Weekend slaying prompts probe from police watchdog
TRU profs testing city’s sewage for traces of COVID-19
Fall high school sports are in serious jeopardy
NEWS/A5
NEWS/A10
SPORTS/A29
Teachers worried about full-time return to class, KTTA head says MICHAEL POTESTIO
STAFF REPORTER
michael@kamloopsthisweek.com
‘IT’S PRETTY NUTS’ Three homes burned at the same time on Friday in Rayleigh, but investigators say it’s not suspicious
NEWS/A6
DAVE EAGLES/KTW
The president of the Kamloops Thompson Teachers Association was shocked phase two of the province’s restart plan for the coming school year — a plan that intends to see most students return to school on a full-time basis — has strayed from the original. In May, the government announced all K-7 students would return to class full-time, five days a week, while grades 8-12 would be part-time, two day a week with some remote and online learning. Last week, however, Education Minister Rob Fleming announced all K-12 students would return to schools full-time in segregated learning groups — 60 for elementary and middle schools and 120 for secondary schools. “It kind of took us off guard because we weren’t anticipating it was going to be 100 per cent fulltime in September,” KamloopsThompson Teachers’ Association president Laurel MacPherson said.
Everybody’s “going to be a lit-
tle bit apprehensive about going back.
”
— LAUREL MacPHERSON Kamloops-Thompson Teachers’ Association
She said the plan revealed last week needs more discussion, describing the school cohorts concept as a “huge idea” that teachers will have to figure out essentially on the fly. “It’s not an easy task,” MacPherson said. “There are working groups that we have advocated for to continue to do the work in order to plan for this new stage.” The KTTA is committed to working with the KamloopsThompson school district, which has done a good job including the union in decisions and seeking its advice since the pandemic began back in March, MacPherson said See SCHOOLS, A19
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